I’m back from England and what an amazing
trip. We spent a week touring the charming villages and beautiful scenery
of the West Country, plus another twelve days exploring the many sights in and near London. I took 4,000 pictures and there’s a lot to tell you so let's start
from the beginning, in London.
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The London Eye |
Westminster Abbey, the site of
royal coronations, weddings and funerals since 1066, was only a short walk from our hotel on Vincent
Square.
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Great West Door of Westminster Abbey |
The abbey’s website recently introduced online ticket sales so we didn’t waste valuable time standing in a queue. To maintain the sacred atmosphere of this historic church, photography is not permitted.
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Abbey Entrance at the Great North Door |
The abbey was kind enough to grant me permission to share some of the photos from their online Picture Gallery, like the Grave of the Unknown Warrior where Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet was laid following her marriage to Prince William.
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The Nave of Westminster Abbey and Grave of the Unknown Warrior Photo: Dean and Chapter of Westminster |
The beautiful fan-vaulted ceiling of King Henry VII's Lady Chapel.
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Henry VII's Lady Chapel
Photo: Dean and Chapter of Westminster |
Poets' Corner with memorials to great writers such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.
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Poets' Corner
Photo: Dean and Chapter of Westminster |
And the Coronation Chair which has been used in the crowning of monarchs since 1308. The chair once held the Stone of Scone, which King Edward I brought from Scotland. The Stone was returned to Edinburgh Castle 700 years later but will return to Westminster Abbey for future coronations.
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The Coronation Chair
Photo: Dean and Chapter of Westminster |
Nearby Parliament Square has statues of some great leaders of the twentieth century, including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill.
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Parliament Square and Big Ben |
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Statue of Mahahma Gandhi |
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Statue of Nelson Mandela |
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Statue of Winston Churchill |
We
escaped the crowds on Parliament Square to walk along the tree-lined Victoria Embankment. A gateway marks the position of the north bank of the River Thames before the building of the Embankment in 1862.
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Gateway on the Victoria Embankment |
Cleopatra’s
Needle is an Egyptian obelisk presented to Britain in 1819. Two sphinxes and Egyptian-themed benches were added to the Embankment by architect George Vulliamy, who was also responsible for the sturgeon (or dolphin) lamp posts lining both sides of the Thames.
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Cleopatra's Needle on the Victoria Embankment |
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The Egyptian Obelisk, Cleopatra's Needle |
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Victoria Embankment Sphinx |
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A Sphinx Bench |
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Sturgeon Lamp Post |
Further along the Embankment, Somerset House is home to the Courtauld
Gallery. In addition to its Medieval and Renaissance works, this small gallery has a
wonderful collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art, including
pieces by Monet, Manet and Van Gogh.
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Fountains in the Somerset House Courtyard |
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Self-Portrait with a Bandaged Ear, Vincent Van Gogh Courtauld Gallery |
After the Courtauld we stopped at the popular Twinings tea shop on the Strand. The shop first opened as a tea room in
1706 and now includes a small museum and tasting counter.
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Twinings on the Strand |
So far we'd spent our time in the City of Westminster. Once we passed the Temple Bar Memorial we'd entered the original City of London, or simply ‘The City’.
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Temple Bar Memorial |
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The Dragon of the City of London |
Prince Henry's Room is one of the few buildings that survived the Great Fire of London that ravaged the city 350 years ago.
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Prince Henry's Room |
The Monument to the Great Fire commemorates the inferno that was finally extinguished on this day, September 5, in the year 1666. The column was erected 61 metres from the spot where the fire began in a
bakery on Pudding Lane on September 2.
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Monument to the Great Fire |
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Pudding Lane |
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Bake Shop Commemorative Plaque |
A series of art installations sprung up across London this summer to celebrate the release of the movie, The BFG, as well as the one hundredth birthday of author Roald Dahl. Fifty BFG Dream Jars were created to illustrate the dreams of celebrities and artists. Most were then auctioned off to support Save the Children. Jenny Packham's jar, A Stitch in Time Saves Nine, was placed near the base of The Monument.
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Jenny Packham's BFG Dream Jar: A Stitch in Time Saves Nine |
Leadenhall Market is a lovely covered market
that appeared in the Harry Potter films as Diagon Alley. When we arrived late
on a Friday afternoon, the Victorian passageways were crowded with pub patrons (most
likely Muggles!) kicking off their weekend with a pint.
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Leadenhall Market |
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Pubbing at the Lamb Tavern |
Rather than battling the evening rush hour
we dined at Jamie's Italian, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant on Threadneedle Street. While
studying the menu we enjoyed a free glass of Prosecco, the
Italian sparkling wine, courtesy of a summer promotion with American Express.
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Jamie's Italian, Threadneedle Street |
I loved the Tomato Crostata, similar to bruschetta on a flaky crust with heritage tomatoes, lovage pesto, caprino cheese and balsamic vinegar. The Prawn Risotto with Argentine prawns, courgette and parsley was a unique
take on the popular dish and, along with the friendly service, made for a
wonderful first evening in London.
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Tomato Crostata |
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Prawn Risotto |
My Tip for the Day:
London can be expensive so check restaurant web sites for special offers and promotions.
As always, yur photos are fantastic. I'm going to head over to your Pinterest account.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Denise. I only have a few London photos on Pinterest right now, from my first trip a few years ago, but I'll be adding many, many more. I'll look for you there too.
ReplyDelete